I have filed several GDPR art.77 complaints. Every,single,complaint → mothballed.

So I must ask: is it just high-profile or high visibility cases submitted by reputable orgs like NoYB that get enforced? Has anyone here personally filed an art.77 complaint as a no-name individual on behalf of yourself and gotten results from the DPA?

For me, the GDPR is essentially non-existent. I believe the EU masses believe they can live fast-and-loose with their digital footprints because they are under an illusion that the GDPR will protect them. I used think the US must be annoyed with the GDPR because it would seem to put tech giants under control. But in fact it apparently creates a false sense of security in Europe that exposes off-guard Europeans to surveillance capitalism to an unexpected extent.

I encourage EU folks to exercise their imaginary GDPR rights (e.g. make access requests and erasure requests). And when a data controller ignores the request submit an art.77 complaint to experience the dysfunction 1st-hand. Some data controllers will simply comply. This is because they are also unaware of the lack of enforcement.

  • Mr. Tambourine Man@lemmy.zipEnglish
    3·
    20 hours ago

    I filed a complaint (in 2019) and received a letter back (in 2021) with the message that their office was overwhelmed with requests (in NL).

    The complaint involved Google not giving me back all data I had uploaded to them (which was for self-employed/professional purposes).

    Not what you wanted to hear, but it sounds like this is the norm.

    • freedomPusher@sopuli.xyzOPM
      2·
      20 hours ago

      I don’t recall off the top of my head what the average case length is in various member states, but it was published in 2024 when the EU collected reports on the GDPR progress. In 2024, everyone (people and orgs) could give the EU feedback on the GDPR’s effectiveness. I think it happens every 4 years. The report from the EDPB to the EC contained stats. So if you dig that up it will show what the average length of a complaint is. IIRC, 2 years was the worst average timeframe of all countries. I don’t recall which country had that average, but I tend to figure if my complaint idles for 2 years then I will consider it mothballed.